The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of the genus Guzmania of the family Bromeliacea. Guzmanias are highly attractive plants and most known for their striking inflorescence. This new cultivar was the result of crossing Guzmania memoria (G. lingulata variety minor crossed with G. lingulata variety major) pollen plant and Guzmania insignis (G. lingulata variety splendens crossed with G. zahnii) seed parent in 1982.
I established approximately twenty plants out of a group of fifty seedlings raised in my shade house in the town of Pahoa in Puna District on the island of Hawaii. The plants were grown in 73% to 80% shade at 78.degree. to 90.degree. F. in the summer and 68.degree. to 80.degree. in the winter. The plants are medium size and more compact than G. insignis and the inflorescence includes the flower. The flower bracts and scape attain shades of red and yellow striations. The hybrid cultivar was discovered in 1986 as an offshoot of one of these fifty plants. The offshoot was entirely green without the red striations in the leaves characteristic of the parent and first bloomed in 1987. The plant took from 18 to 20 months to bloom. The entire star shaped flower was composed of different shades of yellow distinct from the reddish outer bracts and yellow center of the parent. This plant produced nine offsets in greenhouses owned by the applicant. The distinction of a new cultivar was recognized by the striking yellow color of the inflorescence which is significantly different from other known Guzmania hybrids.
The pollen plant, G. memoria, is a hybrid of G. lingulata variety minor and G. lingulata variety major. G. memoria is of medium size and ranges from 60 to 68 centimeters (cm) in diameter producing 30 to 35 leaves. The plant rises to a height of 20 to 28 cm without inflorescence. When in bloom the inflorescence rises from the center of the plant to a height of 28 to 34 cm, the plant having an overall height of 32 to 42 cm. The basal leaves range in length from 38 to 42 cm. The leaves are 5 to 6 cm wide beginning at the base and extending 8 to 10 cm from the base tapering to a width of 3 to 3.5 cm for a majority of the remainder of its length terminating in a tip 2 cm wide and 3 cm long. There are approximately 13 to 16 bracts which form 14 to 19 cm diameter star when viewed from the top of the plant. Each bract ranges in length from 2 to 2.5 cm having a width of 4 to 5 cm at its widest point tapering to 2.5 to 3 cm at midpoint terminating in a tip 2 to 2.5 cm in width. The bracts are red-orange in color and the inner floral cone is yellow with white tips.
The seed plant, G. insignis, is a hybrid of G. lingulata variety Splendens and G. zahnii. G. insignis is a medium to large size plant having a diameter ranging from 83 to 88 cm with a height ranging from 82 to 87 cm. The basal leaves range from 50 to 56 cm in length having a width ranging from 6 to 7 cm from the base extending from the base approximately 14 to 16 cm tapering to 2 to 3.5 cm for a majority of the remainder of its length terminating in a tip 2 cm in width. The leaves have fine red stripes emanating from the base approximately 15 to 17 cm along the length of the leaves. The bract cluster contains approximately 16 to 20 bracts which range from 15 to 10 cm in diameter forming a star shape when viewed from above. The bracts are red with fine stripes ranging from red to yellow in color. The inner floral cone is yellow.